bulls of the Bharata race.  All of them are endued with energy and bravery, and marked with the marks of battle.  On the expiration of the thirteenth year, those mighty warriors, chosen by Yudhishthira and headed by Vasudeva, will come (to the field of battle).  Rama and Krishna and Dhananjaya and Pradyumna and Shamva and Yuyudhana and Bhima and the sons of Madri and the Kekaya princes and the Panchala princes, accompanied by the king of Matsya, these all, illustrious and celebrated and invincible heroes, with their followers and troops, will come.  Who is there that, desiring to live, will encounter these in battle, resembling angry lions of erect manes?’

“Dhritarashtra said, ’What Vidura told me at the time of the game at dice, “If thou seekest, O king, to vanquish the Pandavas (at dice), then certainly a terrible blood-shed ending in the destruction of all the Kurus will be the result,” I think it is about to be realised.  As Vidura told me of old, without doubt a terrible battle will take place, as soon as the pledged period of the Pandavas expireth.’”

SECTION LII

(Nalopakhyana Parva)

Janamejaya said, “When the high-souled Partha went to Indra’s region for obtaining weapons, what did Yudhishthira and the other sons of Pandu do?”

Vaisampayana said, “When the high-souled Partha went to Indra’s region for obtaining weapons, those bulls of the Bharata race continued to dwell with Krishna in (the woods of) Kamyaka.  One day, those foremost of the Bharatas, afflicted with grief, were seated with Krishna on a clean and solitary sward.  Grieving for Dhananjaya, overwhelmed with sorrow, their voices were choked with weeping.  Tortured by Dhananjaya’s absence, grief afflicted them equally.  And filled with sorrow at their separation from Arjuna and at the loss of their kingdom, the mighty-armed Bhima among them addressed Yudhishthira, saying, ’That Bull of the Bharata race, Arjuna, O great king, on whom depend the lives of Pandu’s sons, and on whose death the Panchalas as also ourselves with our sons and Satyaki and Vasudeva are sure to die, hath gone away at thy behest.  What can be sadder than this that the virtuous Vibhatsu hath gone away at thy command, thinking of his many griefs?  Depending upon the might of that illustrious hero’s arms, regard our foes as already vanquished in battle, and the whole earth itself as already acquired by us.  It was for the sake of that mighty warrior that I refrained from sending to the other world all the Dhartarashtras along with the Suvalas, in the midst of the assembly.  Gifted with might of arms, and supported by Vasudeva, we have to suppress the wrath that hath been roused in us, because thou art the root of that wrath.  Indeed, with Krishna’s help, slaying our foes headed by Karna, we are able to rule the entire earth (thus) conquered by our own arms.  Endued with manliness, we are yet overwhelmed